The Dogs of War

(With Operation Baghdad Pups, no buddy gets left behind. Please donate if you can!)

Patton arrived in the United States on Monday, May 5, 2008, accompanied by SPCA International’s Terri Crisp. He is just a small 13 lb puppy even though his Tanker unit has been caring for him since February. Patton was greeted at Dulles International Airport by SPCA International staff, volunteers and another SPCA International Iraq rescue, Thor.

Patton was found while his soldier’s tanker unit was en route back to their Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Iraq. The tanker unit saw what looked like a piece of plastic by the side of the road. They approached the small object cautiously, but soon realized it was just a tiny puppy and not a piece of plastic. The puppy was so small he looked like he had just been born. His eyes hadn’t opened yet and he was covered in fleas. The unit of soldiers could see that he would not survive long without some really special TLC. The soldiers could not resist helping the defenseless puppy in need. They brought him back to the FOB and made a makeshift nipple out of a latex glove. The whole unit helped care for the puppy as they carefully nursed him for two weeks. They made a bed for him in a box with a heating pad and cover to protect him. After two weeks, his eyes began to open. “Ah, he was a cute one,” said his soldier, Derrek.

Since Derrek is part of a tanker unit, they decided to name the dog Patton after General George S. Patton who commanded the first Tanker Corps. in WWI among his many other great military successes in WWI and WWII. Soon, Patton started riding in their tanks while the unit went out on patrol. Derrek explains, “At the time, he was small enough to fit in my tank commander’s curtain. He liked the vibrations from the tank. He slept like a little baby should, despite the horrid noise.” When asked about how he feels about Patton’s rescue Derrek replied in an email, “I am extremely happy to be getting him home. LOL. He will be home before me! Ain’t that somethin’? I want him out of here. Trust me, anyone that knows this dog will remember him forever. ”Then Derrek added, “Thank you for helping me get him home. I am very thankful for you all at SPCA International. You all are the bomb!”

“Operation Puppy Love”